All good teams, regardless of sport, have to beat up the little guys when they get the chance. If you play up to certain teams and conversely play down to others, you probably aren’t very good.

So despite playing a Marlins team not expected to compete for much in 2013, the Nationals took pride in completing the series sweep with a 6-1 victory on Thursday. They took care of business against a less talented team and opened their season with three consecutive wins.

“Every game’s a big game, and we’ve had trouble with the Marlins no matter what,” manager Davey Johnson said.

“Not just last year, but through the years. No matter what they put out there, we’ve had trouble with them. So it was good to spank them this series.”

The Nationals split the season series with Miami in 2012, with the Marlins taking nine of the 18 matchups despite winning just 69 total games. In this season opening series, Washington allowed just one run through three games in an altogether dominant showing at Nationals Park.Read more »

The Nats are off to a brisk start — and I'd take the Syracuse lineup over the Astros (current) lineup.On Opening Day in Syracuse, Michah Owings has a 3-run jack and 4 RBIs in the first 5 innings. What's not to like?

Since when is 15 pitches per inning some kind of laborious outing? It's not amazingly good but it's not that bad, either. The guy gave up some junk hits, one run. First outing. Had to have been pretty similar to Gio's numbers. I will be happy when each starter is past that first game. Haren against the Reds. Ugh. Are we optimistic? Votto. Just say no to pitching to him.

peric said… I hear T-Mo likes TyMo better!Not what his friends call him nor is it his twitter handle. April 04, 2013 9:11 PM ________________________________Do Ryan Zimmerman's friends call him Zim or Zimmy or RZ or Z-man or Mr. Walk-off?Are you saying Tyler Moore only has 1 nickname because of his Twitter handle?OK, cool. I'll continue to call him TyMo when I see him or Big Country as other people call him and maybe I will throw in a T-Mo for you!

SonnyG10.. Saw that with Trent as well. That windmill is going to kill his shoulder. Hope ices it after the games.Also, now re-watching the HROD inning. At least I can watch this time with my eyes open

D'Gourds,I Want To Thank You For Introducing Me to your Heretofore Unknown Rules For Capitalizing. i Used To Think Capitals Were Only for The First Letter of The First Word In A Sentence, as Well as For Proper Nouns. but You have Introduced Me To A Whole New World. Thanks!gyFNG!!!

Personally, I never would have put Kristina Akra and "bimbo" in the same sentence. I agree with MicheleS that she was fun, and I will add articulate, and she will be missed. Whatever. To each their own.

You're Welcome Candide! You Can Actually Thank My Phone Which Does It On Its Own!Btw , I'll Refer To Johnny Holliday As A Bimbo Also! Maybe Bozo? He Has Got To Go! The Worst Is When Carp Takes A Break And He Fills In Doing Play By Play.

Sole possession baby. Sole possession. Last year, the first time we were in sole possession was April 12, after game #7. We were there or tied until May 13, when they fell into 2nd. We got the lead back on May 22, were tied on June 3, and back in the lead for good on June 5. Wire to wire this year?

National League East lesson after three games. The Braves can really hit and score some runs, however they can also be silenced. The Phils still have some pitching, but their team is inconsistent one through nine.

Good Morning All:Hope Peric doesn't read Boswell this morning, he will definitely be off his list of favorite baseball writers as he discusses the pluses of adding Span and losing Morse.This CF thing got me interested enough to go back through the teams I rooted for. Man! were we horrible in CF!!! The few that even deserve mention are as follows: Jim Busby in the early 50's was capable if nothing else – Albie Pearson won Rookie of the Year in CF in 58 but was 5'6" and was moved to a corner spot in 59 for Bob Allison who also won Rookie of the Year in CF. Great trivia question. Back to Back ROY same team, same position and to make it an even better triva question, the Giants did the same thing in the same years with Orlando Cepeda and Willie McCovey at first base. OK back to CF for our Washington Senators. Allison was moved to RF and the damn team moved to Minnesota!!Our expansion team got the old and damaged Jimmy Piersal and Will Tasby. Don Lock played for several years and was not horrible and he was followed by Del Unser until 1971 when POOF – no more baseball in DC.OK, very long way of saying once again. Span is the finest CF to play in Washington DCPutting all this at the end of a post is probably for the best.Go Nats

Question brought up by Farid and NJ on the status of Werth's left wrist.In a past interview a few months ago, Werth quoted his surgeon/treating physician as stating that the wrist doesn't gain its' full strength for up to 18 months.Presumably, the 18 months is a rough clinical average. Someone like Werth, who works out regualarly, may be able to reduce the 18 months to a period of time that reflects the bomb that he hit last night.GooooooooooooooooooNats!!!